Per the Universe we will be Bros
by OceanHeart23
Summary: Barry and Cisco have a heart to heart after getting Barry back from the Speed Force.


A/N: Something I wrote for an imagined missing scene set near beginning of season 4. It's primarily gen and friendship.  
Warnings: There is the occasional swear word. Also this story is unbeta'd so future apologies for any grammatical mistakes.

Disclaimer: I do not own Flash and make no money from writing this.

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Caitlin and Iris had left early for the night to talk over wedding plans. Harry was in his lab throwing things after having just got into an argument with Jessie. Joe had left to spend the night with Cecile and Joanie, but not before giving Barry one last hug. "Glad to have you back son."

Cisco and Barry were just throwing a Nerf football back and forth waiting for an alert. Seeing as how Barry didn't go back to work until tomorrow, it made for a rather slow night. Barry took the time to really study Cisco with now having some down time with being back. His hair was limp and longer from the last time he'd seen him. He looked thinner too, and his face in particular the dark circles were a signature testament that spoke of many sleepless nights. He almost missed the next lob at his head but caught it thanks to speed reflexes.

"You know if I didn't know better. I'd say Iris might have cause for concern with how her fiance is currently checking me out." Cisco said teasingly. Barry rolled his eyes smiling before tossing the football back. Instead of following that up with a quip of his own Barry answered honestly. "Sorry it's just you look tired like dead beat exhausted."

Cisco smiled wanly throwing it back to him. "What can I say it's been a long six months."

"Yeah I can imagine." Barry put the football aside and moved closer to Cisco's table. "It seems like you did a pretty good job of keeping things together, while I was away."

Giving a slightly derisive snort Cisco spoke. "Away? That makes it sound like you left for a quick tropical vacation. You were potentially dead, and we had no choice but to grieve and move on. It's not like the city's criminals are going to stop just because there was another singularity. They realized pretty quickly, that the flash wasn't coming to stop them. We didn't exactly have much of a choice."

Barry conceded that, but there was something he wanted to understand that had been at the back of his head. "But you didn't."

When Cisco only looked blankly at him Barry clarified further. "You didn't grieve me. A part of you always held out hope for me why?"

"Are you kidding me? Of course I didn't!" Slamming a paperweight. "Because doing that would mean you weren't coming back and I couldn't accept that. I mean in case you haven't noticed Barry I have difficulty accepting things in general like the fact that I have powers which took me forever to come to terms with, or that there wouldn't be a way to bring Dante back." Ignoring Barry's slight flinch at that steam rolling forward.

"Hope was the only thing I had! Because no one else sure freaking had it. Joe and Wally did for awhile before accepting it. Iris was convinced you were gone for good the moment you stepped foot into the speed force. I needed something for me to keep me going. With you gone, Caitlin gone, Gypsy almost always off world, and the Wests wrapped up and having each other to lean on, I had..." Cisco rubbed his forehead hard. "It's been so fucking lonely man. So yeah I didn't grieve you and pathetically held out hope for all I had because the alternative was to accept this new miserable existence without my family and figure out how to live from day to day."

Barry heard the words that weren't said and felt his heart going out to his best friend. Cisco had once told him that he wasn't close with his family, as they had never understood him choosing to favor Dante with attention. After a year of working together at Star Labs he said that Barry and Caitlin were his family and like the siblings he had always wanted. Seeing him so torn up about this was difficult.

He had talked to Iris since curious, why Iris was leading the team and not Cisco. But she had said that Cisco had been, until she requested to take over needing a distraction from her own pain over his loss. Cisco conceded respectfully and trained her in all the star labs systems, that he could while also holding his own as vibe. Barry decided to take the adjourning seat next to Cisco.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that alone, but however much it's worth. I'm proud of you. You kept the city safe, and this team running when I wasn't able to all the while working to get me free at the detriment to yourself. You're a hero, and we're especially me really lucky to have you with us."

Cisco chuckled wetly discretely trying to wipe his eyes. "And to think there was a time when I found your pep talks lame never thought I'd miss them this much."

"Hey don't lie you've always loved pep talks and/or friendship speeches." Barry chimed at him warmly.

He was right of course. When days got really bad especially in the field between him and Wally, Cisco found himself missing them, as he struggled to bolster his own confidence. He also got pretty good at taking care of his own wounds being absent of Caitlin as well. He'd never had to stitch himself up before. But something he'd only admit to himself was that he'd prefer the physical pain to distract from the emotional turmoil he struggled with.

"Well hey what about you?" Trying to shift the conversation off of himself tired of examining it.

"What about me?"

"Dude you just came back from speed force prison, so I repeat how are you doing? Since your post beautiful mind phase I know you said you don't remember anything from the speed force. Is that still true?" Cisco didn't think he was lying, but it was still weird for him to think of anyone being anywhere for six months and having no recollection of it at all. Especially if time moved differently like Caitlin said and could have felt like thousands of years to Barry, but maybe that was for the best that he not remember if it was going to add trauma.

Letting out a breath Barry considered his answer. "For the most part that's still true but every now and then especially when I'm sleeping, I get theses flashes? I guess you'd call them It's like being shown snippets of not only my life both past and future, but also I think of different potential time lines. It's difficult to make out or explain, because they come so quickly. Time also feels weird which again is hard to explain like it moves slower. I almost feel more disconnected, then when I came out of my coma the first time. Oh and apparently I speak in speed force occasionally when sleeping. No idea what I'm saying though."

"Hmm maybe this house is bitchin?" Cisco threw out lightly. Barry's lips twitched. It was still weird to think about himself just causally using that phrase in conversation. He took a quick glance at his watch to check the time knowing they should probably head out, if there was nothing big happening tonight.

"You know the way you describe the flashes of the past and future almost sounds like you're getting a vibe."

"Well hopefully not, because I'd like to leave that to you. Super speed is good enough for me as my super power. But anyways I think I'm ready to head out, you coming with or gonna stay?"

Cisco glanced at the monitors one last time before shutting a few systems down. "Yeah just let me finish this and...done!"

Barry grabbed his jacket, while Cisco collected his things.

"Hey Cisco?"

"Hmm?" He glanced over adjusting the strap of his bag.

"Thank you." The words were understood to mean more than just for the speed force rescue. But thank you not only for bringing me home, but also ensuring I have a home to return to.

"Anytime like you said we always find each other...come on bring it in." As they hugged each other for the first time since reuniting. They both turned and nearly jumped back, while Cisco eeped at seeing Harry leaning against the doorway.

"Jesus Harry! I know I've said this before, but what is wrong with you? Is not eavesdropping strictly an Earth 1 thing?"

Harry remained unbothered commenting drily. "If you wanted privacy Ramon, I suggest finding a room with a locking door to ensure that. I only came to grab my coffee mug laying next to you." Indicating with his head to the fore-mentioned mug. "Also I heard shouting and banging and thought I'd found a kindred spirit. But then it turned emotional really quickly, and that thought died." He walked to grab his mug, so he could prepare for a long night of work hearing Ramon mutter to Allen. 'And this is why he doesn't have any friends back on his earth.'

"If there were a point to more friends, I would have them. But I have no time for that, by the way I'm borrowing your solder Ramon." Walking out of the room he barely heard the echoing shout that he refrained from mimicking, since he knew what it'd be.

"As long as you don't freaking break it or anything else of mine!"

Cisco shot Barry an exasperated expression, and Barry pat his shoulder in sympathy. "How about for old time's sake we go watch Wrath of Khan at my place. Iris might even have an extra bag of Twizzlers for you."

"No need," Cisco answered fishing a bag out of one of the drawers. "But I'm totally down for a movie even a repeat classic. It's definitely been awhile for me."

Barry smiled at him before leading the way out of star labs. The universe definitely wanted them to be bros. It was good to be back.


End file.
